Beverly Johnson Says She ‘Forgives’ Bill Cosby

When she's not bike riding in Brooklyn or hanging with friends, Mo can be found writing news, op-eds and feature stories for HelloBeautiful.com. As a proud black feminist, Mo's writing credits include The Root, For Harriet and The Feminist Wire. She has also frequently appeared on Arise TV as a cultural and political commentator. @MoniqueEJohn

On today’s episode of Good Morning America, Beverly Johnson spoke about her attempted rape allegation against Bill Cosby with style and grace.

Journalist Amy Robach remarked that Johnson has yet to be able to directly confront Cosby about the incident in which he drugged her at his New York home in the 80s, supposedly in the interest of taking advantage of her. Johnson managed to anger Cosby enough during the episode to push him into violently throwing her out of his home and shoving her into the back of a taxi cab instead of forcing her into sex. Johnson later tried to speak to Cosby about what happened by calling his home, but was only answered by Cosby’s wife, Camille, instead.

Robach asked Johnson what she would say to Cosby if she had to opportunity to see him, to which Johnson smoothly responded: “I forgive you.”

Johnson went to talk about the importance of bringing Cosby’s alleged history as a serial rapist into the spotlight.

“I just feel that he’s a lightening rod for a much bigger conversation, and that conversation would be the rape culture in America.”

In July, Beverly Johnson was one of 35 women that spoke out in New York Magazine with their individual stories of being raped by the now notorious comedy giant. Although the statute of limitations has passed for many of Cosby’s oldest sexual assault cases, he is still in the middle of a legal battle with Chloe Goins, a model who claims Cosby drugged and raped her in 2008.